National TV show could help cottonseed oil slip back into spotlight

One of Lubbock's main products and the country's original vegetable oil will be featured on national television tonight.

Cottonseed oil is historically the nation's oldest plant oil, yet few people know they may actually be eating it.

The History Channel's new reality TV series, "Food Tech," in its fifth episode will feature Lubbock's PYCO Industries' bottling plant.

In the story "Southern Fried," host Bobby Bognar will take viewers through the process of cooking Southern-fried favorites from the farm to the table, said Heidi Nelson of Harvest PR and Marketing.

Ronnie Gilbert of PYCO Industries said any type of marketing, including his company's appearance on TV, "adds value" to its cottonseed products, which in turn brings money to the industry and area cotton farmers.

"We're trying to re-educate people in the U.S. that cottonseed oil is still a very good frying oil," he said. "It doesn't change the flavor of food, it doesn't go rancid, it's heart healthy ... and it's a homegrown product."

Cottonseed oil was first bottled in the U.S. in 1882, according to the National Cottonseed Products Association Web site.

However, canola, soybean, peanut, corn and sunflower oils are more widely known because of their larger marketing campaigns, said Gilbert, vice president of oil trading and packaged oil.

Despite all of its positive aspects, cottonseed oil has fallen behind its cheaper competitors and took a major hit in 2006 when Frito-Lay switched to sunflower oil, Gilbert said.

He said his company and others in the industry are trying to spread awareness of the product and tell people cottonseed oil is still available.

Nelson said the oil is in the midst of its "comeback tour" through the Tennessee-based NCPA.

She said NCPA is attempting to locate businesses that use cottonseed oil in their products and encourage others in the food industry to do the same.

River Smith's Chicken and Catfish in Lubbock uses cottonseed oil in the majority of its cooking.

General manager Richard Shields said his Avenue Q restaurant has used the oil for more than five years because it "supports local cotton farming and is naturally trans fat free."

Other notable businesses that use cottonseed oil are Wesson, Cafe du Monde in New Orleans and Buca di Beppo.

"We're seeing new customers who are finding that cottonseed oil works well for them ... some who have not used cottonseed oil before," Gilbert said.

Consumers can purchase cottonseed oil locally at United Supermarkets and Sam's Club.

PYCO Industries buys cottonseed by the ton from more than 60 member cotton gins to produce its oil products.